This weekend I donned a pair of knickers, a Seinfeldesque puffy shirt and a purple tabard for my sermon in our services. While I usually dress a little nicer when preaching, I don’t often dress up when preaching. However, since the topic was stewardship, I thought that I would dress as a medieval steward.
During medieval times lords would leave their lands and property in the hands of stewards. Stewards were responsible for managing all of the lords’ resources. When the lords were off at war, on hunting trips or throwing extravagant feasts, the stewards were the ones who made sure everything kept working. So a steward is simply someone who manages someone else’s resources.
When looking at our lives and everything that God has given us, we are most definitely stewards. Psalm 24:1 says
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Everything belongs to God. None of our resources, talents, abilities or time belongs to us; it all comes from God. God owns everything and he simply gives us what he wants us to manage effectively and steward faithfully.
Unfortunately, though, sometimes we forget that God is the owner and take responsibility for what we have.
God didn’t provide for us, our hard work is what provides for us.
God didn’t give us our abilities, we’ve trained and practiced to get where we are.
God didn’t give us the time that we have, our time is our own to do with what we please.
Our perspectives and attitudes get skewed when we forget that God is the owner and we are mere stewards. Instead of trusting in God to provide and following his will, we just do whatever we want and what we think will best serve us. We’re not looking to be faithful stewards, but instead we’re attempting to take ownership of that which is rightfully God’s.
Whether we like it or not God is the owner of everything. We can live more effective lives, though, if we see God as the owner and ourselves as his stewards. We should also appreciate the fact that God trusts us enough to give us his resources.
God believes in us so much that he gives us money, talents, abilities and time. He wants to see us take those gifts and make an impact for his kingdom in this world. God isn’t a stingy owner withholding from us. He’s a generous owner, happily giving us so much because he’s excited about what we’re going to do with it.
And I don’t want to let down our excited God.
What helps you remember that God is the owner and we are just stewards?
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